When he’s not providing research, analysis, and program support for various DLC programs and initiatives, Senior Technical Operations Analyst Aaron Feldman is counting the days until his next platform tennis match.

Utilizing paddles (not racquets), the game takes place on a raised (sometimes heated) platform enclosed by wire fencing that lets the ball bounce off and stay in play. It’s described by the American Platform Tennis Association as “the most addictive sport you’ve never heard of.” Aaron discovered it and went all in, playing for two years so far as a member of the Cleveland Paddle Tennis (synonymous with platform tennis) League. Adept with a paddle, he also plays in a local recreational ping pong group.

Off the court, cooking rises to the top of Aaron’s hobby list. He and his family keep a kosher home and prioritize vegan food for health and environmental reasons – gravitating toward go-to favorites such as Indian spiced lentil burgers and garlic buffalo tofu sandwiches and celebrating extended family visits by learning and cooking new recipes at home.

Professionally, Aaron received his lighting certification from the National Council on Qualifications for the Lighting Professions and is a member of the Illuminating Engineering Society’s (IES) Testing Procedures Committee. Aaron’s experience in lighting manufacturing provides a unique perspective into the application process that helps inform and improve DLC policy and technical development.

The DLC’s work to improve energy efficiency and better lighting quality for people attracted Aaron to the organization in 2019. Since then, he has been impressed by “how this small but mighty team has made such progress and impact on the industry.” The most rewarding part of the job, Aaron says, is “seeing manufacturers – using processes I helped develop – obtain qualification for standards that will result in more energy efficient and quality luminaires in the market.”